A small group of students from The King’s School in Sydney were sent home mid-tour in Japan after staff found them highly intoxicated following purchases of alcohol from vending machines. The school says consequences have been applied and students returned hom
The trip was supposed to be about rugby and teamwork in Japan. Instead, it ended early for a small group of players from The King’s School in Sydney—sent home mid-tour after being found highly intoxicated.
A small group of the team had purchased alcohol from vending machines in Japan during the opening week of their tour. Staff then found a number of the players “highly intoxicated” and they were immediately sent home.
While the incident involved significant drinking, it is understood the students did not require medical attention.
Parents, however, say the impact was anything but minor.. One parent told the Daily Telegraph: “They drank copius amounts of alcohol. they are lucky that there were no more serious consequences for their actions.” Another called the whole situation “a disaster. ” with families of the students involved “furious.”
The financial cost has also landed hard. Families with knowledge of the incident say they were forced to pay for the players’ flights home early. One parent said they had to pay thousands of dollars on top of a $10,000 trip.
A spokesperson for The King’s School confirmed the incident to the Daily Telegraph, explaining that “Some boys were returned home mid‑tour, consistent with the expectations clearly communicated to parents and boys before departure.”
The spokesperson added that “On the tour’s return to school, appropriate consequences have been applied,” and said the school’s focus remains on wellbeing—“ensuring they have the opportunity to reflect on their conduct, learn from it and grow.”
The Daily Mail reached out to the school for further comment but had not received any response at the time of publication.
For families who are already feeling the sting of early flights and disrupted plans. the episode lands amid another public flashpoint for the school.. It is not the first time The King’s School has made headlines after former headteacher Tony George sued the school following his sacking for a “school hall slap.”
Mr George received a termination of employment by The King’s School. a prestigious boys-only institution at Parramatta in Sydney’s west. after allegations he struck a student on the back of the head.. The alleged incident was described as a “clip to the ear” of the student during a heated Biblical studies discussion inside King’s historic Futter Hall.
Mr George is now suing The King’s School Council. seeking damages in a case lodged between Christmas and New Year which has initially succeeded in delaying his termination notice until at least January 19.. Orders filed in the Federal Court have set a hearing for January 19. and confidentiality rulings over exhibits and affidavits place restrictions on material that identifies the student. alongside a chronology of events filed by the school.
The alleged incident happened in mid-2024 during a discussion about religion and free speech attended by around 100 schoolboys. When students returned for Term Three in late July last year, the school sent a letter to parents confirming it was investigating the alleged incident.
The King’s School Sydney rugby tour Japan alcohol students sent home Parramatta Tony George Futter Hall Federal Court